Street Savvy

Parents are obsessed with IQ. We spike baby formula with fish oil and worry over which infant toys will best increase spatial reasoning. But it looks like even if our kid has published three award-winning novels and engineered a solar-powered moon rover by age 6, we still can't be certain that we have raised the World's #1 Kid. In fact, emotional intelligence, or EQ, is a much better predictor of success, happiness, and healthy relationships.

We don't want our kids to be too good at reading people. We still have to survive questions about whether we like the clay ashtray they made us for Father's Day, or where Fido went after that last, fateful trip to the vet. But even though we may occasionally want to smooth over certain topics with our kids, we sure don't want other people hoodwinking them.

Your kid comes home crying after a disagreement with a classmate. Your first thought is probably, "I hope those cage fighting lessons are finally paying off." But despite her prowess in The Octagon, your child may also end up in some situations - like jobs and relationships - where conflicts arise yet submission holds are discouraged.

Improving your child's ability to argue probably ranks somewhere between teaching your toddler screaming skills and explaining your favorite games with kitchen knive. But good negotiation abilities are an essential skill for success both in relationships and careers. Research shows that you can teach your child these important skills simply by demonstrating good negotiation practices when you and your child have conflicts.

Developing your child's critical thinking skills is one of your top priorities as a dad. But before you sign up for pre-natal S.A.T. class or buy "Nuclear Physics for Dummies," you should realize that teaching good critical thinking is an easy process that only requires talking, playing, and interacting with your child.